Segment Notes

Featured Athlete(s):

Mustang Powder Lodge, British Columbia

Pro athletes Scotty Arnold and Neil and Ian Provo have mastered steep lines and terrain parks, but the fundamentals of balance and turning become most important when they head up to British Columbia’s Mustang Powder Lodge to powsurf some of the world’s greatest snow. With powdersurfing, there are no bindings so “to even make it down the hill is an accomplishment,” and the guys are reminded of that feeling of first learning to snowboard, ski, skate, or surf. For Grassroots Powdersurfing founder Jeremy Jensen, that’s why powdersurfing is the “fountain of youth”—it can make even the most talented athletes feel like a kid again.

Equipment:

Powsurfers, snowcats

Featured Athlete(s):

Squaw Valley | Alpine Meadows, California

During a season of record snowfall in Squaw Valley, professional skiers Jonny Moseley, Errol Kerr, and JT Holmes rack up their fair share of snow days skiing deep powder and carving corduroy. As JT puts it, “it’s a humbling experience to have mother nature be that powerful; it really puts you in your place.” While the guys are blown away by an abundance of snow, they also reflect on their individual journeys as athletes and the importance of passing on their passion for the sport to the next generation.

Equipment:

Skis

Featured Athlete(s):

Norway / Fernie, British Columbia

Mountains plunge into the sea, snow-covered peaks pierce the clouds, and toddlers learn to ski before they can walk. Welcome to Norway. The history of skiing runs deep in this setting that native ski patroller Linda Haaland is proud to share with Canadian ski patroller Kevin Griffin, as well as pro skiers Kaylin Richardson and Marcus Caston. As they tour this stunning landscape—where you’ll find a fjord on your left, a farm on your right, and a steep line straight ahead—these patrollers from different ends of the world learn that no matter where you’re from, “the magic of a mountain pulls people in, wherever you go you fall in love with it, and the more places you get to go, the more you realize that everyone is just like you.”

Equipment:

Skis, snowcats, dynamite

Featured Athlete(s):

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Jackson Hole’s iconic tram, or Big Red as the locals call it, pumps 100 people straight up to skier heaven every ten minutes and opens its doors to 4,000 feet of continuous vertical terrain. Locals Tommy Moe, Jess McMillan, Rob Kingwill, and Griffin Post lead the way around the mountain that Jess McMillan describes as “rough, ragged, comforting, and inviting all at the same time.” Beyond the dreamlike days of deep powder with fresh refills and your pick of endless expert lines, you’ll find some of the most educated ski bums in the world and an authentic mountain spirit where animals and people coexist. It’s like-minded people who are “doing whatever it takes to be able to ski day in and day out” in Jackson Hole.

Equipment:

Skis, snowboards

Featured Athlete(s):

Glacier Country, Montana

Professional skier Collin Collins dubs Montana’s Glacier Country “the mecca of all meccas,” and he’s not wrong. Pieced together by huge pillows, massive cliffs, insane lines, and endless untapped terrain, these abundant zones offer everyone something to play on. While Collin Collins and Tyler Ceccanti navigate the backcountry on planks, world-class snowmobiler Keith Curtis ascends and descends the face of these slopes on his snowmobile.

Equipment:

Snowmobiles, skis, dogsled

Featured Athlete(s):

Val d’Isère, France

Intricate systems of chairlifts, tunnels, and trams; limitless terrain with stunning lookouts over Italy; and an unparalleled après scene define the alluring ski town that is Val d’Isère, France. Tradition runs deep in this historic ski spot where Jean-Claude Killy made some of his first turns, and athletes Lexi duPont, Amie Engerbretson, and McKenna Peterson are here to find out what this grand lifestyle in the Alps is all about. As Amie puts it, “it’s less about bagging laps or seeing how much vert you can ski,” and these ladies are here to honor that.

Equipment:

Skis, paragliders

Featured Athlete(s):

Silverton, Colorado

Nestled in southwestern Colorado, Silverton was originally a hotspot for mining silver. Nowadays, the small town sees some of the state’s greatest snowfall and hosts some of its wildest terrain. It’s a tiny town, rough around the edges, with colorful characters and a mountain defined by its single chairlift and expert-only skiing and riding. With technically the entire mountain considered out-of-bounds, professional skiers George Rodney and Ty Peterson discover some of the deepest stashes of their season.

Equipment:

Helicopter, skis, horses, sleds

Featured Athlete(s):

New Zealand

It’s no secret that athletes Seth Wescott and Rob Kingwill have mastered the art of snowboarding, but sometimes even the pros are reminded of the sheer power of a mountain and the unconditional respect that it requires. In New Zealand, the guys carve and float on steep slopes and complex terrain to tap into “that edge where you feel like you might die, but at the same time you feel the most alive.” While it’s a fine line to ride, these are the moments they keep coming back for.

Equipment:

Snowboards, helicopter

Featured Athlete(s):

Steamboat, Colorado

In Steamboat, you train through the night if you want to be an Olympian, and siblings Arielle and Taylor Gold have done just that. The snowboarding duo throw down under the stars in their native ski town, as they fuel one another to push their limits of riding and live out their dreams of Olympic pursuit. Meanwhile, by day, the Nastar race course preps the next generation of world-class ski racers.

Equipment:

Snowboards, skis, snowcats

Featured Athlete(s):

Beartooth Pass, Wyoming-Montana

The Beartooth Highway is a nearly 70-mile route that winds its way through Wyoming, Montana, and into Yellowstone. Every spring the gate to Beartooth Pass is opened and die-hards make the pilgrimage to ski the snow that has accumulated through the winter. Leaving the car and trailer behind, professional skiers Michael “Bird” Shaffer and Kalen Thorien approach their ski lines by motorcycle. Once on the pass, the “Bird” proves he can actually fly, and these two adventurous spirits make spring turns down the rugged peaks that envelop this classic American highway’s alpine tundra landscape.